It Gets Better
by sheepeater
Summary: "Does it ever go away?" he asked tentatively. "No," came the definite reply. "But it does get better."


Title: It Gets Better

Category: Bleach

Word Count: 1,153

Characters/Pairings: Renji, Kira, Hinamori, Hitsugaya, Rangiku (mentions of), Rukia (mentions of), Ichigo (mentions of); implied HitsuHina and IchiRuki, one-sided RenRuki

Timeline/Spoilers: post series?; slight spoilers for SS arc

Summary: "Does it ever go away?" he asked tentatively. "No," came the definite reply, "but it does get better."

Notes: Alright, so this is my first ever attempt at a Bleach fanfic, and I would love to hear your guys' feedback. Please let me know what you think. ^^

Disclaimer: I do not own _Bleach_. It is property of Kubo Tite-sensei and _Shonen Jump_.

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The three former schoolmates walked together in silence.

Abarai. Hinamori. Kira.

Each consumed with their own thoughts, doubtless reliving the old days at the Shinigami Academy, but together, nonetheless. Since graduation day, nothing had ever been the same again. But there was no harm in pretending.

Then, Hinamori's voice broke the silence. "Shiro-chan!"

It seemed that Captain Hitsugaya was indeed passing their way. The look of annoyance on his face gave away the fact that he was about to berate her for addressing him with her old childhood endearment rather than his 'proper' title, Captain, or even his surname, Hitsugaya-kun. But an unreadable expression crossed his features as he opened his mouth. No words came out. He hadn't seen Hinamori so happy in such a long time, and allowed it to pass... this time.

The young Lieutenant ran to meet up with the boy she'd grown up with, leaving Abarai and Kira behind without so much as a goodbye. Not that Renji minded much. All of Soul Society must have known how close the two were. He turned to Kira, to say farewell and take his leave as well, when he saw what a wistful look he wore.

At first, Kira was puzzled by the emphathetic look Abarai was giving him. Then, it hit him_. _

_He knows how it feels._

After the events concerning the Espada and Aizen, Rukia had left with Ichigo to remain in the World of the Living. Both would be patroling the area around Karakura town, and came back once a week to report, but it just wasn't the same. His redheaded friend had soon become one of Matsumoto-san's regualar drinking buddies.

"Does it ever go away?" he asked in a tentative voice.

"No," came the definite reply. Izuru looked at him in shock. Renji went on, "But it does get better.

"Time may heal your wounds, but they always leave behind a scar. This,"-he fingered an old cut below his left eye-"I got from my first fist fight back in Rukongai." He pulled up his sleeve to reveal a scar running the length of his arm. "My first dealing against a Hollow left me with this. But not every scar you get is visible..." He then pointed to his own heart. "This is from the first time I was completely and utterly crushed inside. And not a scratch on the outside of me," he sighed. "It's all found inside."

A loud silence encased the two for what seemed like hours, when, in fact, it had only been a few minutes. When the 6th Division Lieutenant finally had the nerve to lift his head, he was quite surprised to find his fellow Vice-Captain staring blankly into thin air.

"Kira," he said, waving a hand in the blonde's face. "Oi, Kira! Get out of dreamland!"

Izuru blinked and seemed to just notice the other man's hand.

"Well, finally," his companion sighed, evidently relieved. "What's up with you?"

The soft-spoken man refrained from speaking for a while longer before suddenly exclaiming, "What the hell are you talking about?" and turning his head sideways at almost a 90 degree angle, which, in addition to his eerily calm gaze, quite frankly, freaked out his friend.

Abarai was obviously ataken-back. An "Eh?" was all he could manage.

The lopside-headed shinigami continued, "I mean what's all this talk about scars and and not being visible and such? And why did you keep pointing at yourself? That's rather rude no matter who it's directed at," Kira chided. "I asked you about it because I thought you'd gone through it, too."

"Gone through what?" asked Renji, puzzled.

"_You know..._" he urged, now starting to jump up and down.

Byakuya's Lieutenant was even more confused at such strange behavior. "No, I _don't _know!" he cried, beginning to get frustrated. "Just tell me! Why were you staring at Hinamori as she was leaving?"

"Hinamori?" Kira's head had gone on its side again, and Renji recoiled. "I wasn't staring at Hinamori; I was staring at Captain Hitsugaya," he said, for some reason looking pleased with himself, as if he had accomplished something extraordinary.

All the while, the redhead's exasperation continued to mount. "But _why _were you staring?" If his old schoolmate didn't answer him in two minutes, he was out of there. This was _too _weird.

Kira was silent for a moment more. And as Renji was just about to leave, he spoke up. "Don't you ever get that weird feeling after drinking too much sake and then staring at a Captain's robes too long?"

Now Abarai was hopelessly lost. Kira went on before he could conjure up some way to respond to such a ludicrous statement. "Especially with Hitsugaya. I mean, the black shinigami robes with the Captain's white hoari already contrasts enough, but throw his white hair on top of it, and you've got a major headache!" At this point, his arms were up in the air, assuming, wild and indechiperable gestures. He must have looked half-mad to anyone looking in on their conversation. "And it's not like Ukitake, who has straight hair, which isn't as bad. It just had to be spiky! All of that combined has been putting my head out of sorts. I thought you would know, since you spent so much time drinking after Kuchiki left for the World of the Living."

Kira's turned his attention back to the listener, looking at least partiallly sane this time. But, Renji was a whole other story. His eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up. He suddenly realized that the look on his friend's face hadn't been the forlorn one of a rejected lover, but rather the calmly confused one of an inebriated man. His voice became a chilling calm, and was almost a whisper. "You mean to tell me that I just spilled my heart out for you, thinking you felt like _that _towards Hinamori, when really you were just a clueless and intoxicated?"

Izuru, not getting a word of it, nodded enthusiastically, thinking it was the right thing to do.

"You damned drunken bastard! And where the hell do you think you're going?" he yelled at Kira's retreating figure.

The 3rd Division Lieutenant slowly turned his head, almost 180 degrees, and calmly informed him, "To find Matsumoto and get some more sake."

He was about to run off again, but the other man called for him to wait.

"What?" he questioned, irratated. He was eager to get some more of that drink.

"I'm coming. I could use a bottle, myself."

Kira's face suddenly perked up. "The more the merrier, Matsumoto always says."

And with that, the two headed off for 10th Division headquarters.

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_owari_

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A/N: My first attempt at humor. Hehehe. I actually got this idea while giving my dog a bath, go figure. I'm dying to hear your thoughts. Please help a struggling writer with your reviews. :)

Always,

Sora(:


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